Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Impact of Local and National Government Narratives on Renewable Energy Transitions

Clark University, Worcester MA

Investigators

Abstract

This doctoral dissertation research improvement project will examine the local and national narratives on large-scale renewable energy projects and their impacts for rural communities’ natural resources and wellbeing. This project will improve understanding of the national-level dynamics of renewable energy development, of the factors that determine justification for large-scale projects, and of best practices regarding local community involvement in such projects. Findings will be broadly disseminated through peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations, and policy briefs and papers, with implications on environmental sustainability and human health and wellbeing. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, this project will provide support to enable a promising student to establish an independent research career. This project will examine how local and national government narratives influence the development of largescale renewable energy projects. The project will explore how national government dynamics influence the type of renewable energy projects that are selected, where such projects are implemented, who implements them, and how they impact local communities. Data collection will be carried out using the following methods: archival research to collect policy and technical documents, media reports; participant observation at meetings on renewable energy; social network mapping of and semi-structured interviews with actors involved in renewable energy transitions. The theories and methodologies developed in this research will provide new insights and approaches to research involving governments and communities that are pursuing transitions to renewable energy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.